The invention relates to remote control circuit breaker systems.
Circuit breakers provide overcurrent protection for preventing personal injury and property damage. A loadcenter or panelboard receives electrical power from the utility company transformer and routes the electrical power through a main circuit breaker and then through branch circuit breakers to designated branch circuits, each supplying current to one or more electrical loads. The circuit breakers are designed to interrupt the electrical current if it is excessive or outside the design limits of the conductor and loads, to reduce the risk of injury and damage. Branch circuit breakers are provided in narrow width molded cases which fit into designated slots or pole openings in the panelboard. The two most common widths for such circuit breakers are one inch and three-quarter inch, which is the outside width dimension of the molded case.
A circuit breaker has a thermal/magnetic trip characteristic. The thermal characteristic is operative in response to overload current of extended duration which heats a bimetal member, causing movement of the latter, which in turn releases a latch to trip open a set of contacts. For example, the thermal characteristic would respond to 30 amps being drawn in a 15 amp circuit. The magnetic characteristic is operative in response to a sudden high magnitude current overload condition, and uses the magnetic field generated in a magnetic core to attract an armature, which movement releases the latch to open the contacts. As an example, the magnetic type actuation occurs in response to a short circuit wherein the hot line conductor becomes directly connected with ground or neutral, bypassing the load.
It is known in the prior art to provide remote controlled circuit breakers wherein the breaker contacts are tripped to an open condition by an actuator responding to a control signal. This enables the circuit breaker to additionally perform a switching function and manage a load connected to the breaker, such that the breaker performs the dual functions of overload current protection and load management. A disadvantage of using the breaker contacts to perform a switching relay type function is that the breaker contacts are designed to be able to interrupt high current, not for repeated operation.
The invention of the above noted parent application provides a circuit breaker with a first set of contacts provided by a pair of separable overload breaker contacts for overload current protection, and a second set of contacts provided by a pair of switching relay contacts having open and closed conditions and electrically connected in series with the overload breaker contacts and providing load management. Trip structure causes separation of the overload breaker contacts in response to overload currents therethrough. An actuator is energizable to mechanically actuate the switching relay contacts.
In one aspect of the parent invention, feedback circuitry responsive to the actuator provides status indication of the condition of the switching relay contacts, and in turn the managed load.
In another aspect of the parent invention, the noted structure is provided in a common case, and concurrent heating of the case by both the overload current trip structure and a solenoid actuator is prevented. Only one or the other of such trip structure and such solenoid is allowed to heat the case.
In another aspect of the parent invention, structure is provided enabling packaging within a narrow case of standard width of one inch or less. A negative gradient acting spring and particular orientation reduces the holding requirements of an actuating solenoid for the switching relay contacts, which reduced holding requirements enables use of a small solenoid, facilitating the noted packaging. In a further aspect, magnetic flux coupling structure is provided adjacent a movable contact arm of the switching relay contacts and provides a hold down electromagnet holding the switching relay contacts in the closed condition in response to overload currents therethrough such that the switching relay contacts remain closed and resist blow-apart force, and instead the circuit is interrupted by the overload breaker contacts in response to the overload current. The magnetic flux coupling structure providing the hold down electromagnet urges the switching relay contacts to the closed condition with increasing force with increasing current flow therethrough, which in turn reduces the holding requirements of the noted negative gradient acting biasing spring under overload current conditions, which in turn further reduces the holding requirements and size of the actuating solenoid, further facilitating the noted packaging.
The present invention provides an interface between a remote control circuit breaker, such as that of the parent invention, and a system controller of a home automation system. While not limited thereto, the present invention is particularly well adapted for use in a home automation system such as that promoted by SMART HOUSE, L.P. of Upper Marlboro, Md.
The SMART HOUSE system starts with a network of electrical power, communications and audio/video cables installed during construction. It grows through the addition of input sources and a system controller, plus receptacles to communicate with smart gas and electric appliances. Higher levels of automated control and personal customization can be added by the original or subsequent homeowners.
Homeowners will be using hand held remote or wall mounted control panels, touch tone phones, or personal computers to input to the central control system. They will be able to set modes or directly control heating/cooling, light settings, and appliances, as well as built-in equipment. All functions can be turned off or on at programmed times in pre-set house modes like normal work day, weekend, or vacation. Smart appliances now under development will plug into gas or electrical supply outlets equipped with communication ports. They will be able to interact with other appliances and report status to the system controller. Hard wired equipment like heat pumps or exterior lighting can be directly or automatically controlled through special remotely controlled circuit breakers in the power distribution panel or loadcenter.
The present invention provides the interface circuitry between the home automation system controller and the remotely operated power switching devices. The system includes a plurality of remote control circuit breakers each including a switch responsive to a control signal for controllably completing and interrupting a respective load circuit, a plurality of pole controllers each responsive to an address signal and coupled to a respective remote control circuit breaker and supplying the control signal to the switch, each pole controller including a status circuit responsive to actuation of the switch and supplying a status signal indicative thereof, and a common controller coupled to the pole controllers and supplying the address signals. The status signal is generated after generation of the address signal, for confirming actuation of the switch in response to the control signal from the pole controller responding to the address signal.
In one aspect of the invention, the common controller generates a sequence cycle including an address cycle having a plurality of multiplexed address signals, followed by a status cycle having a plurality of multiplexed status symbols, such that status cycles are provided between address cycles. The status cycle begins upon completion of the address cycle, and upon completion of the status cycle, the next address cycle begins.
In another aspect of the invention, the status circuit responds to a given current characteristic of the control signal supplied from the pole controller to the switch in the remote control circuit breaker in response to the address signal, to indicate actuation of the switch and condition of the load circuit. In a particularly desirable aspect, simplified status indication is provided by determining the status of actuation of the switch and the condition of the load circuit solely by the given current characteristic of the control signal from the pole controller, without extra separate connection to the load circuit or switch.
In another aspect, the pole controller includes a manual override switch having a first position overriding the common controller and providing a control signal interrupting the load circuit regardless of any address signal provided by the common controller to the respective pole controller, a second position enabling the control signal to be controlled by the common controller, and a third position overriding the common controller and allowing completion of the load circuit regardless of any address signal provided by the common controller to the respective pole controller. In a particularly desirable aspect, a dual color lamp system is provided, and lamp energizing circuitry responds to the manual override switch and to the common controller and energizes the lamp system such that a first color is flashingly illuminated when the manual override switch is in the first position, the first color is continuously illuminated when the manual override switch is in the second position and the load circuit is interrupted, and a second color is flashingly illuminated when the manual override switch is in the third position, and the second color is continuously illuminated when the manual override switch is in the second position and completion of the load circuit is allowed.
In another aspect, the status circuit supplies a fault status signal when the switch does not actuate in response to the control signal from the respective pole controller, and the lamp energizing circuit responds to the status fault signal and alternately flashes the noted first and second colors.
In another aspect, the invention provides a remote control residential and commercial circuit breaker system affording overload current protection and load management, including a plurality of remote control circuit breakers each having a first set of contacts provided by a pair of separable overload breaker contacts, trip structure for causing separation of the overload breaker contacts in response to overload current therethrough, a second set of contacts provided by a pair of switching relay contacts having open and closed conditions and electrically connected in series with the overload breaker contacts in a respective load circuit, an actuator energizable by a control signal to mechanically actuate the switching relay contacts, a plurality of pole controllers each responsive to an address signal and coupled to a respective actuator and supplying the control signal thereto, each pole controller including a status circuit responsive to a given current characteristic of the control signal to the actuator to indicate the condition of the actuator and the switching relay contacts and supplying a status signal indicative thereof, and a common controller coupled to the pole controllers and supplying the address signals.
Each pole controller performs a number of functions, including energization of the actuator such as a solenoid in the remote control circuit breaker, sensing of actuator or solenoid current for status and feedback confirmation, protection of the actuator, enablement of user selection of a manual off, manual on, or automatic mode, and control of an indicator lamp arrangement.
In another aspect, the invention provides a remote control circuit breaker system including a service center receiving electrical utility power. The service center has a circuit breaker panelboard section, and a plurality of circuit breakers, including remote control circuit breakers, are mounted in the circuit breaker panelboard section, each circuit breaker having a user engageable handle extending forwardly toward and facing the user. Each remote control circuit breaker includes a switch responsive to a control signal for controllably completing and interrupting a respective load circuit. The service center includes a pole controller panel section. A motherboard printed circuit board is mounted in the pole controller panel section and has common controller circuitry and a plurality of connection headers thereon. The common controller circuit supplies address signals through the connection headers. A plurality of pole controllers are mounted in the pole controller panel section. Each pole controller is mounted on the motherboard in plugged-in relation with a respective connection header. Each pole controller has a user engageable handle extending forwardly toward and facing the user. The pole controller comprises a molded insulating case having a rearward connection port with a motherboard interface connector mating with a respective connection header on the motherboard. The case has an opening at the front facing the user. A manual override switch is mounted in the case. The pole controller handle is part of the manual override switch and extends forwardly therefrom through the front opening in the case.